The Nation Newspaper

Tag: divides

  • Zoning of Rep seat divides Abia PDP

    Zoning of Rep seat divides Abia PDP

    The planned zoning of one of Abia State House of Representatives seats to Arochukwu/Ohafia Federal Constituency to a particular area is threatening the peace in the constituency, it has been learnt.

    Several political groups are said to be at loggerheads over the arrangement.

    Sources told our reporter that the member representing the area in the House of Representatives, Prince Arua Arunsi, might have begun moves for his second term through the zoning arrangement.

    But a political support group, under the aegis of Equity Charter Movement, is alleged to be claiming that the seat had been zoned to Arochukwu.

    This is creating confusion on the true status of the seat.

    Anthony Nwankwo, the leader of another political group, Onyereubi Unity Forum, has dismissed the claims.

    He said there was no zoning in the area.

    Nwankwo said those talking about zoning were not the right parties, adding that those talking about zoning forgot that some other communities had not produced such a representative.

    He said: “These people don’t know what they are talking about. They are not political parties that can zone any position because the same area they are projecting has tasted that position. So, if we are talking about zoning, we should be talking about those who have not got to that position before…”

  • N500m Shell donation divides community

    N500m Shell donation divides community

    Members of the Oloma community in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State are quarrelling over a N500 million donation by the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) to the community fund.

    The Nation learnt that youths, women and groups  are preparing for a showdown with the leadership of the Oloma Council of Elders over the alleged misappropriation of the money from the oil giant.

    The Secretary-General of Oloma community, Warisenibo Gabriel Godwin, has written to the SPDC management, accusing the Chairman of Oloma Council of Elders, Sir Amarigha Edward Hart, of misappropriating hundreds of millions of naira.

    Godwin, who is also the secretary of the Project Community Trust (P-CT), also accused Hart of assuming the status of “a demi-god” in the community, acting with impunity and threatening the running of the community’s organisation.

    In the letter, he called for  SPDCs intervention to avert the breach of peace in the community.

    Decrying Hart’s leadership style, the secretary said as an oil bearing community, SPDC pays certain funds as part of its Global Project memorandum of understanding.

    He said details of such payments are not only kept secret to members, but are also kept away from him.

    Godwin said SPDC deals with Hart alone, through one of its workers (name withheld), thereby ignoring the statutes of the Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMOU), reached between the Oloma community and the oil giant (SPDC).

    One of the aides to Hart denied the allegation, saying: “We will speak when the time is ripe. But take it from me that Oloma community is calm and peaceful as we speak.”

  • Jonathan divides Ohanaeze over 2015

    The purported 2015 presidential ambition of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan has divided the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo.

    Special Adviser to the President on Inter-party Affairs Senator Ben Ndi Obi, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu and Senator Edwin Onwudiwe said Jonathan had done well and deserved another term.

    But Ohanaeze Ndigbo President, Chief Enwo Igariwey, said Igbo had not made any statement on the issue, adding that the body would declare its stand at the appropriate time.

    Eleven states formed what they called Oriental Peoples Movement (OPM), founded by Andy Campbell Onyeaqanam.

    The states are Anambra, Abia, Abuja, Enugu, Ebonyi, Delta, Rivers, Bayelsa, Akwa-Ibom, Cross-River and Imo.

    At the official launch of the Anambra State chapter yesterday, Onwudiwe, the chairman of the occasion, said the idea was to protect Ndigbo interest.

    He said Jonathan should be given opportunity to translate Nigeria, adding that it was too late for Ndigbo to work against the Southsouth presidency. ‘’We should support Jonathan next year so that Southsouth will support us when our time comes. We will lose it if we create a vacuum now,” Onwudiwe added.

    Obi said the President was being unjustly criticised by the opposition, adding that he was focused and determined to develop the country.

    Said he: “Jonathan has done well in the last three years. But there are still grounds to be covered. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is a huge movement. We are grounded in the ethics of democracy.

    “We are waiting for Jonathan, having assured that Nigerians will enjoy more democracy dividends in 2014. Ndigbo were major contributors to his 2011 success story at the polls.

    “Ohanaeze met with him last December 9, during which issues concerning Ndigbo were discussed and the people said they were satisfied with his explanations.”

    Igariwey said yesterday that individuals were entitled to their opinions, adding that no decision had been made on next year’s presidential election.

    Iwuanyanwu, a member of the Board of Trustees of the PDP, said Jonathan’s stay in office was “to allow the labours of our hero’s past not to be in vain”, adding that that was why every ethnic group should support his 2015 project.

    He said: “Jonathan represents that unity as preached by our past heroes. The reward for hard work is more work. Therefore, I hail the initiators of this project called, ‘Think presidency, think Jonathan’”.

  • Erosion divides Oron road into two

    Fully erosion has cut off a major road in Oron community of Akwa Ibom State into two.

    A residential building belonging to Emmanuel Edem was submerged.

    Residents turned out in numbers to catch a glimpse of the house.

    They appealed to the government for help. They said a road like Oron should not have been allowed to cut off totally.

    Edem said he went for his mother’s funeral when neighbours sent him a distress message that his house was no more.

    Mike Okpo, whose house is on Oron road, said: “Over the years, Oron road has undergone a lot of deterioration and neglect. The traffic on that road had been quite heavy over the decade.

    “It is quite unfortunate that in recent times roads like Oron road have been relegated to the back quarters.”

    The government warned residents of erosion-prone areas to leave to avoid loss of lives.

    Speaking during the site inspection of the collapsed road, the Commissioner for Works, Don Etim, sympathised with the Edem family.

    Etim, who spoke through the Head of Civil Engineering Directorate, Effiong Effiakedoho, said ravine encroachment was natural but could be aided by human activities.

    He noted that the case in Oron was a direct result of silting of drains, adding that the protection of environment is a direct responsibility of all.

    The commissioner appealed to Stemco Construction Company handling projects in the area to take up immediate preliminary intervention measures to stall further damage.